Weft-replenishing loom.



No. 854,673. PATENTED MAY 21, 1907. H. SMITH & J. v. LANGLEY.

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQEQ HERBERT SMITH AND JOSEPH v. LANGLEY, or NEWBEDEoED, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE,MASSAOHU SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907'.

Application filed January 5, 1907. Serial No. 350,867.

lb aZZ 1077 0711 it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERBERT SMITH and JosEPH V. LANGLEY, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of New Bedford, county of Bristol,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Looms, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing,is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to looms for Weaving, and it has for itsprincipal object the production of novel means for preventing thinplaces in the cloth being woven.

In the Northrop type of loom, such for instance as shown in UnitedStates Patent to Northrup No. 5299-10, the running shuttle is providedautomatically with a fresh supply of filling, such fresh supply beinginserted in the shuttle when boxed at one side of the loom and as thelay is about to complete its forward beat. Looms of this type arefrequently provided with two filling-forks or detectors, which detect onalternate picks, so that each pick is a detecting pick, the object beingto detect filling absence as promptly as possible, and various meanshave been de vised to arrest take-up upon detection. Upon fillingreplenishment the new filling-end extends from the feeder or hopper tothe nearer edge of the cloth on the first shot of the replenishedshuttle, and so remains until severed automatically, as for instance bya temple thread cutter, the term filling end meaning the portion offilling laid on the pick following filling replenishment and extendingfrom the feeder to the cloth, as distinguished from the running filling.It sometimes happens that the filling end is not severed at once, asseveral picks may intervene after replenishment before the filling endis severed. This filling end while intact is engaged by the fork at thatside of the loom on each forward beat of the lay, and tilts the forkeach time so that the said fork cannot act to detect ab sence of therunning filling, as will be obvious. When weaving on double fork,filling replenishing looms of the type referred to, some kinds of cloth,such as fine textures or grades of fabrics, using fine yarns, shownoticeable and objectionable thin places when the running filling isreplenished.

Our present invention has for its object the production of novel andeffective means for preventing the formation in the cloth.

In the present embodiment of our invention we provide take-up mechanismcontrolled by both detectors to arrest take-up upon detection of fillingabsence by either detector, one of the detectors controlling theoperation of the replenishing mechanism, and we have provided means toretract the other detector from detecting positiontwhen the first-nameddetector detects filling absence, such retraction operating to prolongthe period of arrested take-up initiated by the firstnamed detector. WVeprefer in most cases to provide not only for arrest of take-up but alsofor suitable let-back each time the replenishing mechanism is operated.

By our invention we prevent the formation of thin places on the mostdelicate goods and no noticeable thick place results.

Herein we have shown our invention as embodied in one practical form ina loom provided with means to effect filling replenishment prior tocomplete exhaustion of the run ning filling, by a so-called feelerinstrumentality, and also when absence of the filling is detected by afilling-detector, such as a filling-fork.

The loom used for the purpose of illustration is equipped with twofilling-detectors or forks, one only of which controls the replenishingmechanism, while both forks control take-up and let-back.

The various novel features of our invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in thefollowing claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view, centrally broken out, of a portion of adouble-fork, filling-replenishing, feeler loom, with one embodiment ofour invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof,centrally broken out; Fig 3 is a transverse section on the line 33, Fig.2, showing a sufficient portion of the take-up mechanism, the let-backdevice, and the means for controlling the same; Fig. 4 is a diagrammaticview of the action which takes place ordinarily upon the occurrence of amis-thread ,"Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the difference in theaction which takes place in a loom embodying our invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 the filling-replenishing of such thin placesmechanism F of the Northrop type, such substantially as shown in thepatent referred to, and the controlling or operating rock-shaft d forsaid mechanism, are of well-known construction, the rock-shaft beingmounted in bearings 1 on the loom-frame 2 and having rigidly attached toit an upturned arm 3, adapted to be swung forward by outward movement ofthe slide f on which a main filling-detector or fork f is mounted, inusual manner. Such outward movement of the slide is effected as usual byor through the weft-hammer W when the fork detects filling absence onthe pick of the shuttle to the left, away from the replenishing side ofthe loom. The arm 3 has its hub 4 provided with a radial notch 5, Fig.2, into which extends a lug 6 on the end of a sleeve 7 rotativelymounted on the rock-shaft d and having a limited angular movementrelative to the shaft by virtue of the width of the notch 5 comparedwith the thickness of the lug 6.

A depending arm 7 Figs. 2 and 3, is fixedly secured to the sleeve bymeans of the hub 8, the arm cooperating with a lug 9, Fig. 3, on apawl-carrier 10 provided with a takeup pawl 11 adapted to normallyengage and rotate step by step a take-up ratchet 12. When the sleeve 7is turned in the direction of arrow 100, Fig. 3, the arm 7 acts throughlug 9 to disengage the pawl 11 and ratchet 12, thereby arrestingtake-up, and this occurs either when the sleeve is turned on. therockshaft (1, orsupposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig.2when the said shaft is turned in the direction of arrow 100, Fig. 3. Inthe latter case the turning of shaft and sleeve are in unison, and suchturning is due to detection of filling absence by the main detector orfork f, as will be manifest, or by the operation of the feeler device,as will be explained hereinafter. When the rock-shaft d is so turned,however, the filling-replenishing mechanism is actuated, andconsequently take-up is arrested when filling replenishment occurs. Thelet-back device or means comprises the two pawls 13 and 14, a fixed stud15 serving as a fulcrum for the longer pawl 13 while the shorter pawl 14is slotted at 16 to embrace and slide on said stud when the pawl 13 israised from engagement with the ratchet 12. A lateral projection 17 onthe pawl 13 extends over the pawl-carrier 10, the pawl normally actingas a detent for the ratchet 12 to prevent retrograde movement thereof.When, however, the pawl-carrier is rendered inoperative, it lifts thelug 17 and withdraws the pawl 13 from engagement with the ratchet, andthe pawl 14 then slides back on stud 15, permittin the ratchet to letback the cloth as much as esired.

From the foregoing it will be ma'nifest that let-b ack is caused by andupon arrest of takeup, and take-up is arrested whenever the replenishingmechanism is actuated, and also when the sleeve 7 is turned upon therockshaft (1 in the direction of arrow 100.

The illustrated take-up mechanism and let-back device may be of anysuitable character, as for instance the general structure shown inUnited States Patent to Clement No. 643284, dated February 13, 1900.

The independent turning of the sleeve 7 is effected by outward movementof the slide g of the second. or auxiliary filling-detector or fork g,the outer end of the slide being hooked at g to receive the bent overupper end 18 of an upturned arm 19 having its hub 20 clamped on thesleeve. When the fork g initially detects filling absence, on the pickof the shuttle to the right, or toward the replenishing side of theloom, its slide is moved outward in usual manner by the hook, of theweft-hammer WV co-operating with the tail 9 of the auxiliary fork.Consequently detecting action of fork g arrests take-up and and causesleft-back of the cloth, but it does not have any effect, immediate orremote, on the filling-replenishing mechanism, as will be manifest. Whenthe fork f detects filling failure the rock-shaft d is turned to causefilling replenishment, and the sleeve 7 is turned in unison with theshaft, for the upper edge of the notch- 5 is in engagement with the topedge of lug 6, and take-up is rrested and let-back effected. But theturning of the shaft and sleeve are caused by detection of fillingabsence on the pick of the shuttle to the left, and the turning of thesleeve 7 swings the arm 19 outward, thereby pulling forward theauxiliary slide g and its fork g from full to dotted line position, Fig.3. For a moment let it be supposed that the shuttle is now picked to theright. On that pick as the lay beats up the weft-hammer W moves forwardjust after the detecting instant for the fork 9, but that fork hasalready been moved part way forward, as explained, and as the hammer Wcompletes the forward stroke its'hook will pick up or engage thefork-tail g and complete the outward slide movement, thereby prolongingwithout any interruption the period of arrested take-up initiated by orthrough detecting action of the fork f.

Were it not for the preliminary outward movement of the slide 9*, due todetecting action by the fork f, the fork 9 would be tilted by thefilling end due to filling replenishment, and the take-up would bethrown into operation immediately upon the return of the rock-shaft d tonormal position, which would be too soon. This will be more clearlyunderstood by reference to Fig. 5, where the full lines indicate fillinglaid, and the dotted lines the picks, or parts of picks on which fillingis absent. It is supposed that the filling fails at on the pick to theleft, and the fork f detects such failure andarrests take-up,

on'the pick marked 1, and then the shuttle is picked to the right, nofilling being laid, and as there is no filling nor filling-end presentthe fork 9 would detect properly, even had it not been retracted by orthrough detecting action of fork f, as explained, and the period ofarrested take-up is prolonged for the pick marked 2. New filling is nowprovided, and the shuttle is picked to the left, laying the new fillingand leaving at the right the filling-end heretofore referred to,indicated in Fig. 1 at t, opposite fork g. In the case of a mis-threadthe filling breaks on the return trip, at .73, and it is not detected byfork 9 because the latter is tilted by the filling end, so the shuttlethen is picked to the left,

ut on that pick, marked 3, the forkf detects and arrests take-up andretracts the fork g to prolong such arrest as described,' on the pick tothe right, marked 4, whereupon fresh filling is again supplied.

In the diagram Fig. 5, seven picks have been made, with two arrests oftakeup and two prolongations of each period of arrest, and in theconstruction shown e'ach arrest of take-up was accompanied by let-back.Of the seven picks indicated in 5 the first and fourth have fillingcompletely laid, the second and fifth have filling part way across, andthe third, sixth and seventh are entirely empty, the total arrest oftake-up compensating for the imperfect picks and absolutely preventing athin place in the cloth. Now referring to Fig. 4 the difference in theaction under like circumstances but without our invention will be mademanifest. The filling fails on the second pick, at 00, as before, andfork f detects failure and arrests take-up, on pick marked 1, and on thenext pick, marked 2, fork g detects, and it again arrests take-up, andfresh filling is provided, being laid on the fourth pick and leaving thefillinge'nd, as before. Now a mis-thread occurs, and on the fifth pickthe filling fails at x, but fork gwill not detect it as the fillingendtilts the fork, and there will be no detection until the next or sixthpick, marked 3, when fork f detects and arrests take-up. The shuttle hasto return, however, for replenishment on the seventh pick, but there isno' detection and no arrest of take-up by fork 9 because it will beagain tilted by the filling-end. It will be seen that while there havebeen three empty picks and two picks partly empty, as in Fig. 5, therehave been and can be only three arrests of take-up, which isinsufficient to prevent the formation of a thin place. \Vith ourinvention, however, the period of arrested take-up is prolonged. so thattake-up is not resumed until after the fresh filling has been suppliedand the shuttle picked from the replenishing side, for on that pick theweft-hammer W begins its return or rearward stroke.

When filling absence is detected first by the auxiliary fork, as on thepick to the right, arrest'of take-up and let-back result, and on thenext pick, to the left, the main fork detects, and again take-up isarrested and let-back ensues, but on the third pick, (to the right) thefork 9 having been drawn forward, the arrested period, due to detectionby the fork f, is lengthened or prolonged while filling is inserted inthe shuttle, the weft-hammer W moving back only after the replenishment,as before stated, so that ample provision is made to prevent a thinplace. \Vhen filling absence is detected first by the main forkf, itwill be on a pick to the left, obviously, and the arrest of take-up andletback follows, with the auxiliary fork drawn forward, as described,and the period of arrested take-up is lengthened, and on the next pick,to the right, filling is replenished, the retarding effect on thetake-up preventing the thin place following replenishment, supposing nomis-thread occurs.

Any suitable feeler mechanism may 3e used, and that illustrated issubstantially that shown in United States Patent N 0. 789472, granted toWood & Northrop May 9, 1905.

The feeler-carrier 50, the feeler mounted thereon and having a broadenedhead 51, and the actuator 52 to at times engage the end of and rock thecontroller 53 to thereby tilt the transmitter 54 on its fulcrum 55,thereby elevating the latch (i Fig. 1, into the path of the head ta onthe weft-hammer V, are all substantially as in such patent and operateas therein set forth. The latch d is pivotally connected with theupturned end of an arm (Z fast on the controlling rockshaft (Z, and whenthe latch is moved forward upon exhaustion of the running filling to apredetermined extent the rock-shaft d is turned in the direction ofarrow 100, Fig. 3, to effect filling-replenishment and also to arresttake-up and effect let-back, but as the filling is present throughoutthe operation no subsequent operation of the take-up follows by orthrough either fork.

A safety device is provided to insure the co-operation of the tail g ofthe auxiliary fork g and the hook of the weft-hammer W and referring toFigs. 1 and 3 such safety device is shown as a short arm 22 secured to afixed part of the loom, as the guide or stand 9 and overhanging theslide g transversely thereof. The arm is so positioned that when theslide 9* is drawn forward upon detection of filling absence by the forkfthe tail g will be moved under the arm, see dotted lines Fig. 3, andwhen the weft-hammer XV moves forward the usual hook thereof is bound toengage the fork-tail. Any jumping up of the fork-tail is prevented bythe arm 22, as will be manifest, so that proper co-operation of the tailand the weft-hammer hook is insured.

' device, and me ans Our invention is not restricted to the preciseconstruction and arrangement herein shown and described, as the same maybe modified or varied in different particulars by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a loom, in combination,filling-replenishing mechanism, mechanisms to take up and let back thecloth, two filling-forks, controlling connections between one only ofthe forks and all of said mechanisms, to arrest take-up and causelet-back at every actuation of the replenishing mechanism, and meansoperative when filling absence is detected by said fork, accompanied byarrest of take-up, to prolong such period of arrested take-up by orthrough the other fork when an intact filling-end remains from a prioroperation of the replenishing mechanism.

2. In a loom, in combination, filling-replenishing mechanism, take-upmechanism, a main filling-fork to control the replenishing -mechanismand also to arrest take-up of the cloth upon detection offilling-absence, an auxiliary filling-fork controlling only the take-upmechanism, and means to cause initial detection of filling absence bythe main fork, which arrests-take-up, to also operate through theauxiliary fork to prolong such period of arrested take-up when afillingend is present opposite the auxiliary fork.

3. In a loom, filling replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors,take-up mechanism controlled by both detectors to arrest its operationupon detection of filling absence by either detector, one of saiddetectors controlling the operation of the replenishing mechanism, and.means to retract the other detector from detecting position when thefirst-named detector detects filling absence.

4. In a loom provided withfilling-replenishing mechanism, take-upmechanism and a let-back device, a filling-detector to effect theoperation of the replenishing mechanism, arrest take-up and effectlet-back of the cloth, a second filling-detector controlling only thetake-up mechanism and let-back to retract the second detector fromdetecting position by or through detection of filling absence by thefirst de tector, to thereby prolong the period during which take-up isarrested and let-back is operative when a filling-end is presentopposite the second detector.

5. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, a filling-fork to effectthe actuation thereof upon detection of filling absence, a secondfilling-fork, take-up mechanism and a let-back device controlledthereby, and means whereby detection of filling absence by the firstfork causes the second fork to effect arrest of take-up and effectlet-back when a filling-end is present due to previous fillingreplenishment, the action of the sec ond fork being irrespective of thecondition of the running filling.

6. In a loom having filling-replenishing mechanism, a controllingfilling detector therefor, and a feeler device to effect the actuationof said mechanism prior to complete exhaustion of the running filling,in combination, take-up mechanism, a let-back device, and means toarrest the operation of the takeup mechanism and cause the let-backdevice to operate upon either detection of filling failure by thedetector or the actuation of the replenishing mechanism by the feelerdevice.

7. In a loom, in combination, filling-replenishin mechanism, main andauxiliary filling-forks, detection of filling absence by the formereffecting the actuation of said mechanism, means to arrest take-up andcause let-back of the cloth when either fork initially detects fillingprolong such arrest of take-up when the main fork imtially detectsfilling absence and when a filling-end is present opposite the auxiliaryfork.

8. In a loom provided with filling-replenishing mechanism, a controllingrock-shaft therefor, take-up mechanism and a let-back device, twofilling-forks, connections between one of them and the rock-shaft toturn the latter upon detection of filling absence, to effect fillingreplenishment, arrest take-up and cause let-back, and means operativelyconnected with the other fork to arrest takeup, and cause let-back upondetection of filling-absence by such fork, initial detection by thefirst-named fork acting through said rock-shaft upon the second-namedfork to prolong the period during which take-up is arrested.

9. In a loom provided with filling-replenishing mechanism. a controllingrockshaft therefor, take-up mechanism and a letback device, twofilling-forks, a sleeve loose on the rock-shaft and having a limitedrelative rotative movement thereon, a controlling connection between thesleeve and the take-up mechanism and let-back device, whereby rotativemovement of the sleeve arrests take-up and causes let-back, means toturn the shaft and sleeve in unison when one fork detects fillingabsence, and means to turn the sleeve on and relatively to the rock-shaft when the other fork detects filling absence, unison movement of thesleeve and shaft acting through the second fork to prolong the arrest oftake-up.

ll). In a loom provided with filling-relenishin mechanism, take-upmechanism, a filling-fork, means whereby detection of filling absence bysaid fork effects the operation of the replenishing mechanism andarrests take-up, a second filling-fork controlling only the take-upmechanism, a vibrating absence, and means to weft-hammer toco-operate attimes with such second fork, means to retract the latter from detectingposition upon detection of filling absence by the first named fork, theweft-hammer thereafter co-operating With the second fork and therebyprolonging the period during which take-up is arrested, and a safetydevice to insure the co-operation of the second fork and its weft-hammerafter such fork has been retracted from detecting position.

11. In a loom, in combination, fillingreplenishing mechanism, mechanismsto take up and let back the cloth, two filling-forks, controllingconnections between one of the forks and all of said mechanisms, toarrest take-up and cause let-back at every actuation of the replenishingmechanism, means to retract the other fork from detecting position whenthe first-named fork detects fillingabsence, and means governed by thesecondnamed fork to arrest take-up and cause letback only.

12. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, a filling-detector toeffect the actuation thereof upon detection of filling absence, a secondfilling-detector, take-up mechanism and a let-back device controlledthereby, and means to retract the second detector from detectingposition by or through detection of filling absence by the firstdetector, to thereby prolong the period of arrested takeup.

13. In a loom provided with filling-replenishing mechanism, take-upmechanism and a let-back device, a filling-fork to effect l I theoperation of the replemshmg mechanism, a second filling-fork controllingthe takeup mechanism and let-back device, and

a means to retract the second fork from detectmg position by orthroughdetection of filling absence by the first-named fork, whereby the secondfork effects arrest of take-up and letback when a filling-end is presentdue to previous filling replenishment.

14. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, two filling-detectors,one only of them controlling the operation of the replenishingmechanism, means to retract the other de tector from detecting positionwhen the firstnamed detector detects filling absence, and take-upmechanism controlled by the second detector.

15. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism and a filling-fork havingsole control of and to effect the action thereof upon detection offilling-absence, and a filling-fork at the opposite side of the loomtake-up mechanism, and means controlled by initial deteotion of fillingabsence by the first-named one of said forks, to arrest the take-up mechanism for a period of two picks, said means acting through thesecond-named fork.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT SMITH. JOSEPH V. LANGLEY. IVitnesses:

JAMES MUNN, SAMUEL TURNER, Jr.

